Indonesia's past and present leaders
PROFILES:
Abdurrahman Wahid
Megawati Sukarnoputri
Amien Rais
Suharto
Abdurrahman Wahid
PRESIDENT
BORN: August 4, 1940 in Jombang, East Java, Indonesia
EDUCATION: Al-Azhar University, Egypt, University of Baghdad, Iraq
FAMILY: Married to Sinta Nuriyah, four daughters
CAREER: : Before becoming Indonesia’s fourth president, Wahid (also known as Gus Dur) was the revered leader of Nahdlatul Ulama, the biggest Muslim organization which boasted over 30 million members. Yet, nobody took Wahid seriously when he contested the presidential race in October 1999, mainly because of his poor health (he is almost blind and has suffered two strokes). However, seen as a candidate of compromise, the Central Axis - a coalition of Muslim forces - lobbied in favor of him. His erratic and chaotic leadership frustrated many people, including those who once supported him. He has been at odds with the Parliament and two financial scandals that allegedly implicate him, known as Buloggate and Bruneigate, threaten to bring his presidency to an end.
Megawati Sukarnoputri
VICE-PRESIDENT
BORN: January 23, 1947 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
EDUCATION: Padjajaran University, Indonesia
FAMILY: Married to Taufik Kiemas; two sons, one daughter
CAREER: Megawati, the second child of first president Sukarno, reluctantly turned into an opposition figure -- after she was ousted from the chairmanship of the Indonesian Democratic Party in 1996. After the fall of Suharto, her popularity rose and her party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (to distinguish it from the original party that was tainted with Suharto’s support) got 34 per cent of the votes -- the most in the election. The aloof and quiet leader was tipped to be a favourite in the presidential election in 1999 but lost to Abdurrahman Wahid, who received backing from Muslim parties. To appease the anger of her supporters, the Parliament elected her as his vice-president. With her party holding the most seats in the Parliament, Megawati continues to play a crucial role in Wahid’s political survival.
Amien Rais
SPEAKER OF THE PEOPLE'S CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY
BORN: April 26, 1944 in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia
EDUCATION: University of Chicago, USA
FAMILY: Married to Kusnariyati Sri Rahayu; five children
CAREER: In the old Suharto's days, Rais was one of the few who dared to criticized the president. The outspoken Rais hasn’t changed: As the speaker of the upper-house, he still fires his harsh criticsms to President Abdurrahman Wahid. An astute deal-maker, Rais supported Wahid in the presidential race. For a while, it seemed the two Muslim leaders have reconciled their past distrusts (Rais was the chairman of the 28-million modernist and more orthodox Muhammadiyah, while Wahid headed the traditionalist and rural-based Nahdlatul Ulama). But it didn’t take long before they are at odds again, as the proud Wahid refused to be controlled by the Parliament. Few people trust Rais, however, because he is known for swinging his ideology from religious right to center and back - causing people to see him as a political opportunist.
Suharto
EX-PRESIDENT, 1966-1998
BORN: June 8, 1921 in Kemusuk, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
EDUCATION: Junior high school
FAMILY: Widowed (wife Siti Hartinah died in 1996); with three sons and three daughters
CAREER: Suharto was a lieutenant-general in charge of the Army Strategic Reserve Command in 1965 when an aborted coup, which he blamed on the communists, resulted in the deaths of six high-ranking generals and one lieutenant. Less than a year later, Suharto out manouvered president Sukarno and went on to suceed him. The ‘smiling general’ brought an economic prosperity but with an iron fist. However corruption and nepotism exposed the cracks of his miraculous ivory tower: and the Indonesian economy collapsed during the Asian financial crisis in 1997. Suharto stepped down in disgrace following massive protests and violent riots in May 1998. Although people want him to face trial for corruption charges, the former strongman now lives in his guarded home in Central Jakarta, suffering from poor health.
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